by Alex Schwartz

Timber Creek has games against three of the event’s top five teams, and they’re starting it off with the best of them all. The squad will be facing national power St. Patrick’s in their opening game. The Celtics feature numerous high-major all-everything ballers including Markus Kennedy ’10, Kyrie Irving ’10, and Dexter Strickland’ 09, all of whom are expected to be in attendance, though only Kennedy is here right now and the game has already begun. By the way, the scorebook only has numbers, so I’ll just be using that for players, though I know who many of the Celtics are.

11:06am- Berdy Cadet ’09, Rich Dobin ’10, Paris Bennett ’10, Dean Kowalski ’09, and Chase Plummer ’10 got the start for St. Patrick’s.

11:08am- With 12:00 left in the first half, Timber Creek is leading 11-10.

11:11am- Chase Plummer grabbed an offensive rebound off a miss by Kowalski, and was fouled putting it back up. The rising junior hit both shots from the stripe, putting the Celtics ahead 12-11 with under 10 minutes left in the first half.

11:13am- Bennett cut to the hoop on an inbounds pass under the Timber Creek basket, received a pass from Cadet, and laid it in for an easy bucket.

11:14am- Markus Kennedy grabbed a board at one end and passed it up to Bennett who banked it in for a bucket. Kennedy already has a handful of rebounds.

11:15am- Cadet took a pass from Kowalski and laid it in, putting the Celtics ahead 20-17. Timber Creek then answered at the other end with a mid-range jumper.

11:16am-A bucket from Chase Plummer with 4:30 to go has put St. Patrick’s on top 22-19.

11:17am- Timber Creek missed a three, and then Berdy Cadet nailed a trey at the other end, putting the Celtics out in front by six, 25-19.

11:19am- With just under 1:30 to play in the first half, it’s 26-19 Celtics. For Timber Creek, Collin Johnson ’09 has been the standout thus far.

11:20am- #44 drove right by Markus Kennedy, but missed a layup and Kennedy actually got the rebound. He has at least seven already.

11:21am- It’s halftime, and St. Patrick’s is winning 28-20.

11:22am- Paris Bennett is the game’s leading scorer at the half, with eight points. #31 is leading the way for Timber Creek with five points.

11:25am- Kyrie Irving and Dexter Strickland are both not here for the Celtics, though I do believe that they are expected to be coming. We’ll wait and see.

11:26am- Markus Kennedy has opened the second half scoring. He missed a tip-in on an offensive board, and then hit a tip-in off his own miss, giving the Celtics a 10-point cushion.

11:28am- Bennett blocked a shot and then grabbed the ball, sending St. Pat’s into transition. The Celtics could not convert though.

11:29am- Markus Kennedy is unstoppable down low. He just took a pass from Kowalski and laid it in. Timber Creek cannot stop the 6’8 rising junior.

11:30am- Kennedy just got a jam the next time down the floor, continuing his dominance.

 11:31am- I’ve got to give Timber Creek credit. They are sticking with St. Patrick’s, and trail by just six points, 36-30, with 14:30 to play.

11:32am- Another bucket from Kennedy down low has pushed the St. Pat’s lead out to eight points.

11:33am- Montez Blair ’09 hit the second of two free throws for Timber Creek, so it’s 38-31. Derrick Gordon ’11 has entered the game for the Celtics, seeing his first action of the day.

11:35am- Kennedy missed a mid-range jumper off a pass from Plummer. It’s 38-31 with 11 minutes to go.

11:37am- Markus Kennedy has scored yet again. The Celtics lead 40-31. After the next time down the floor, Kennedy was taken out for a breather with the clocking showing 8:30.

11:38am- Bennett and Gordon both scored for the Celtics, who now lead by 13, 44-31. That is their biggest lead of the contest.

11:39am- Timber Creek has taken a timeout with 7:11 remaining. The team is down 44-31.

11:43am- Blair, who has probably been Timber Creek’s best player, hit two free throws, cutting the Celtics’ lead to 11, 44-33 with five minutes left.

11:44am- St. Pat’s has scored back-to-back baskets, the second of which came off a pretty low post move by Paris Bennett. They now lead 48-33 in what is likely an insurmountable lead with under 4:00 to play.

11:45am- #11 grabbed an offensive board and put it in for Timber Creek with just over 3:00 left.

11:46am- Chase Plummer connected on two free throws, stretching the lead back to 15 points, 50-35.

11:47am- Rich Dobin drove hard to the hoop for the Celtics and drew a foul.

11:48am- Dobin hit the second of his two free throws, giving the Celtics a 16-point advantage.

11:49am- The game has come to an end and St. Pat’s is the winner, 51-35.

Markus Kennedy was the leading scorer with 19 points for St. Pat’s. Paris Bennett added 14 of his own. Montez Blair led the way for Timber Creek with 12 points. Markus Kennedy and Montez Blair are Northstar Basketball’s MVPs for their respective teams.

Note- photo is of Markus Kennedy